bacalar mexico | the adventures of dos tortas

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Oh My God I Live With Dos Tortas

Olga – “Remember the time you did that juice fast and you wanted me to do it with you?? Hahaha!”

Living with Olga has been a blessing. When we suddenly lost our previous living arrangement, she stepped in to offer us a place to stay. We didn’t know each other well, but with the connection of a mutual friend, we gave it a go.

Olga, far left at our wedding reception in Bacalar.

Olga is an accomplished businesswoman in Bacalar. She owns a thriving laundromat along the Costera. Her campground/hostel Jardin de Venus (Venus’s Garden) is always teaming with backpackers from around the world.

Lisa is definitely the glue. She is way more fun and entertaining than I am. A huge perk for us has been speaking Spanish at home. Our speaking and ability to hear has definitely improved.

Lisa and Olga.

Lisa – Olga’s been a great source of information and connection for us, from living in Bacalar to building our house. Small town Mexico is so much about who you know, and with knowing Olga, we’re in!

Olga – You both are very respectful of privacy and considerate of my space. We will always be friends and it’s nice to have people I trust.

Thank you Olga. We rented a room and made a friend. DOS TORTAS

The stub wall in our guest bath. We brought the glass blocks from Austin and were determined they were to go somewhere.

Shelves the the bodega (pantry).

Large screens finished on the porch.

The doors and windows will be installed this week. Another step closer.

Tags: bacalar mexico, building a house in Mexico, camping mexico, Construction Bacalar, Jardin de venus

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What You Really Need is a Sense of Humor

30 Aug

The heck with fearlessness! Forget optimism. Without a sense of humor you will never make it as a foreigner living in Mexico.

With permission from my friend Carla who does Facebook stand-up.

“My bottle of over-the-counter drugs contained pills in two different colors.
*Scenario one – Darn, we’re out of transparent gel caps. I’ll just use those brown ones until the new boxes come in.
*Scenario two – Hey, this bottle is only three/quarters full. That won’t do. Let’s see, there are some extras over here. Antibiotics? Ok can’t hurt, I’ll use them.

Two months later, I think it was scenario one”

Hahaha. Seriously this could happen to you!

As I see it, my choices are:

Leave

Live here and be miserable and complain incessantly, or

Get a sense of humor.

I choose the latter although many folks choose door number two and of course some people leave.

This week I went to retrieve the final approval to build LIsa’s mother’s house. A mistake on the part of our former builder, plus a regime change in the government agency equalled additional time and more $$$. We had received notice that the paperwork was ready so off I went to SEMARNAT, the agency that regulates waterfront construction.

Sitting behind her computer, the officer began typing. She stared at the screen intently, typed a little more and stared some more. I waited, and waited, took some deep breaths, and stayed calm. Gringos are notorious for being impatient. Finally I asked in my friendliest voice if there was a problem? She shrugged her shoulders and declared the network “slow”. It does no good to be frustrated with the lack of communication. “In a minute” could mean a half hour (if you’re lucky).

Mañana doesn’t mean tomorrow. It means just not today.

As the move-in date comes and goes for our new home, we keep busy and know the universe has its own timeline. Our house is full of workers laying tile, painting the floor, building a stone entry, sanding concrete counters, installing appliances, lights, ceiling fans and more. Our bulldog project manager David meets tomorrow with the key players needed to get electricity installed!! The meeting took four months to arrange. Send prayers.

Tile placement for the stairway to heaven.

This is a pivotal week. The push is on to finish the interior so that we can begin moving. In the meantime, no taking ourselves too seriously. If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing. DOS TORTAS

Tags: bacalar mexico, building a house in Mexico, expat living in Mexico

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Life Is Hard – It’s Harder If You’re Stupid

23 Aug

August 2013 we left Austin, Texas for retirement in Mexico. After more than a year of research and planning, visiting and asking questions, we thought we knew something of what we were getting into. Jajaja – that’s laughing in Spanish.

Two years later we are still not living in our own home. Dismantling our expectations has been a daily practice. We are however within spitting distance of completing construction, but my patience is wearing thin. Lisa on the other hand is calm, cool and collected. A real role reversal for us! She is keeping me sane, saner? sanish? Here is a house progress report.

The palm frond overhangs protect from sun and rain. They will be completed is week.

The palm frond overhangs protect from sun and rain. They will be completed this week.

Creating the mold for a poured concrete bathroom sink.

Creating a rebar mold for a poured concrete bathroom sink.

A lip creates an area for potted plants to create a “jungle” in our shower. Note the light from skylights.

Yesterday we sat in the corner of our porch enjoying the breeze. We’ve come so far.

Tile on the roof adds another layer of insulation from the heat.

The appliances have been purchased. The windows will be installed this week. As rooms are finished we can begin to move items from our present location. We are so close. My present anxiety is clearly stupid. There is no hurry. I am believing the lie that my happiness is dependent on where I live. I could be happy if only…. It’s a good thing I have Lisa who chooses to be happy no matter what. We make a good team.

DOS TORTAS

Tags: Adventure in Mexico, bacalar mexico, building a house in Mexico, retire mexico, what it takes to be happy

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Cenotes – Sacred Mayan Wells

31 May

The Yucatán is home to more than seven thousand ancient watering holes known as cenotes (sen-óh-tay). The clear, cool, mineral-rich water bubbles up through layers of limestone and has a silky smooth quality that wraps its arms around you. The wells can be found on private property or equipped with a restaurant and entrance fee. There are two large cenotes in Bacalar. Cenote Azul is the restaurant-type where I swim several times a week.

Our Yucatan meander included three cenotes in the city of Valladolid and one in Ek Balam.

Lisa finding a way to get into chilly water at Ek Balam.

You would think that at some point it would be like “ok, been there done that”. But the cenotes of Ticul took it up a notch. Thanks to Roman, our tour guide, we got to visit private, little-known pools of joy. His secret is safe with us. We couldn’t find our way back if we tried.

Thirsty trees reach for water.

All cenotes were formed deep in the earth. Then the roof caved in on some, requiring stairs to access them.

Once open to the sky, the water isn’t as pristine. But if the roof remains intact, a crystalline clear swim awaits. The second cenote we visited required a bumpy ride down a long dirt road. Roman left the best to last.

I could have stayed all day.

This spot was heaven on earth. I am convinced that we will never tire of exploring the cenotes of Yucatan.

The following day we we said goodbye to Roman with promises of a swift return. Off to the pyramids of Uxmal and the final leg of the great Dos Torta Yucatan Meander.

Tags: adventure mexico, bacalar mexico, Cenote Azul, expat living in Mexico, yucatan cenotes

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So You’d Like To Buy Some Furniture?

5 Apr

Semana Santa in Bacalar reminds me of spring break on South Padre Island, only on a much smaller scale. Hotels are overflowing, music is loud, there are long waits in restaurants that opened just last week to take advantage of the occasion. After today we will revert back to a sleepy little town, much like Brigadoon disappearing into the mist.

On Wednesday, our builder David took us to the little town of Limones to visit the workshop of Luis, furniture maker extraordinaire.

Luis shows us a window frame that he has made for a school. The wood is so beautiful.

We looked at different types of wood, mahogany, hard cedar and others who’s names don’t translate into English. The grains were amazing showing a variety of color hidden in a log.

A rich red-purple vein that ould be polished and stained for a table or bench.

A rich red-purple vein that could be polished and stained for a table or bench.

This local cedar had wonderful hues of pink and purple.

Next we visited the sawmill to see the source of this lovely wood. Logging is rigorously monitored in Mexico. I was not willing to purchase wood that had been stripped from the jungle to provide us a front door.

Logs are sliced into boards that dry in the sun.

Using a huge bandsaw boards are cut and stacked to dry.

Having worked in the furniture making industry, Lisa was in heaven, even having a conversation with Luis that neither of them really understood.

Beautiful boards shipped all over the world.

Anyone want a table shaped like Texas?

I bet they could sell this for a fortune.

For every tree cut, a hundred are planted.

Back in Limones we stopped at a furniture store. It’s good to know our options. No decisions to make yet but soon.

Look at the different wood in this table.

For the patio perhaps with olorful cushions.

For the patio perhaps with colorful cushions.

We are off this week for a road trip around the Yucatan looking for old doors to repurpose. We hope to visit a few churches, cenotes and maybe an island or two. Until next week. DOS TORTAS

Tags: bacalar mexico, sawmill, Semana Santa

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Permission to Build – Let the Games Begin

22 Mar

“Everything will be all right in the end… if it’s not all right then it’s not yet the end.”

I guess you can tell that we re-watched the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel this week. I just love that movie. It makes me laugh. We saw it first on the big screen the summer before we pulled out of the driveway hauling our worldly possessions to retire in Mexico. Life sure has been an adventure since then, although not always the one we expected.

This week, after five months of waiting, we got the approval for our home construction project from the state of Quitana Roo. Cue music – happy dance!

David, our builder and Lisa out checking out the placement of the house.

We put a contract on a half acre of lake-front property when we first visited Bacalar, Quitana Roo, a half hour from the Belize-Mexico border, in December 2013. It was a bold move and we returned to Austin to sell our house, retire from our jobs, sell everything and return the following September to begin life in small-town southern Mexico. We never expected to be renting for two years before moving into our own home. We had a lot to learn about how things are done in Mexico.

Our wobbly dock will be replaced eventually. This will be the view from our porch.

We hired a biologist a year ago to submit a three-ring, three-inch environmental impact study to the state oversight agency. Building in an environmentally sensitive area required jumping through many more hoops than we were aware. We turned in the report in October 2014 and got our permission to move forward on Thursday of this week.

The view south from our rickety dock.

Our next steps will be to submit structural plans to the Municipio de Bacalar. Municipalities have oversight over all new construction. We will continue transferring funds to our Mexican bank, open an account with a local construction materials company, who will make weekly deliveries to the property, and work on the interior design. We meet next week with a woodworker to begin making the doors.

A built-in cabinet that we will have incorporated into the house design.

A built-in cabinet that we have incorporated into the house design.

I love the idea of niches and built-in cabinets. In a small house it is especially important to optimize the use of all available space. We’ve extended the size of the porch and my studio to allow room for a bed and guests.

We want a similar roof-top patio for star gazing, curling up with a book or entertaining friends.

We’re finally starting to feel excited. Today we go to the property to check out progress on the well and septic system. It’s been one big lesson on how to be happy while life unfolds in its own way.

I love this stonework that is in the home of a neighbor.

This is the time we get to fulfill an unspoken dream, a beautiful home. I’ve never been one to focus on beauty. Our home has always been basic, functional and comfortable. Now is the time to create beauty, something until this time, I’d never really considered. Stay with us, this is when it gets fun. I hope.

DOS TORTA

Tags: bacalar mexico, building a house in Mexico, retire mexico

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Eating Organic in Mexico – An Adventure of a Different Kind

22 Feb

The Tortas are on vacation. Please enjoy a previous post.

A large part of moving to Mexico for me was driven by the memory of roaming local mercados brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables. In 1975, as a college student in Mexico, I gorged on whatever was in season, especially relishing avocados and tropical fruits not found in my native New Jersey.

As with everything inthe world, times have changed, and in 2014, asking a merchant in the Bacalar market where their produce is from often results in a blank stare. For this reason, I have thought often of the organic farmer’s market left behind in Austin, Texas. I willingly paid higher prices, which included the privilege of meeting the farmers who grew and brought their culinary wonders to my neighborhood.

On Saturday, the Tortas were excited to take a road-trip to a local organic farm that we’d heard about. After driving 40 km or about 25 miles, we came to what’s otherwise known as Kilometro Cinco (five).

An easy-to-miss wooden roadside stand fronts an amazing farm owned and operated by a husband-wife team. All work is done manually. There is no roto tiller pulled behind a tractor. The rich earth in this soil poor area is the result of twenty years of composted chicken manure. It is obvious that these folks work hard, love what they do and have a green thumb that I can only dream of. We followed them to their fields and were in awe of the crops that were harvested before our eyes. It doesn’t get any fresher than this. There was eggplant, cabbage, kohlrabi, two kinds of espinaca (spinach), red and green lettuce, arugula, chard, bok choy, basil, Serrano peppers, dandelions and probably more that I’m forgetting. It was a Spanish lesson as well. I will have green smoothies for days. Kilometro Cinco is a treasure and well worth the trip. Our huge basket of veggies, farm eggs and oranges cost about $10US. I’m in heaven and no longer dreaming of farmer’s markets.

Rows of lettuce and peppers.

Growing in the jungle.

Harvesting as we go.

Though For The Day

Tags: bacalar mexico, fruits and vegetables, living in mexico, move to Mexico, Organic Mexico, retire mexico, southern yucatan

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Categories Adventure, Expatriates, Retire Mexico

Los Perros of Bacalar

18 Jan

The dogs of Bacalar have been on my list of blog topics for awhile. They lounge in the streets barely aware of speeding taxis and zipping motos. When walking or riding our bikes, it is useful to carry a stick or pocket of stones. Bacalareños and expats alike either own dogs, are afraid of them or both, for good reason.

In the defense of the perros is our friend Rojo. He takes collections of dog food, arranges sterilization clinics and maintains the bellies of a small herd of street dogs. With the support of many gringos he has taken the fight to the município and raised awareness. His facebook page, Perros Olvidados de Bacalar, the forgotten dogs of Bacalar, was created to provide a central message board.

Rojo the dog whisperer.

While riding this week I was bum rushed by two dogs that hang out blocks from our house. I got scared, hit the brakes and went down. I got up bruised but determined to do something about this particular duo as I have seen them in action before.

They certainly think they live here and someone is feeding them.

I canvassed the neighborhood but was told that the dogs have no owner. No one wants to take responsibility for this pair, for good reason. A friend paid $11,000 pesos this week, about $750us when a passing man called the police threatening to sue, claiming our friend’s weimaraner Lucy had bitten him (names have been changed to protect the presumed innocent). As anywhere, the case for settling “out of court” was made and a deal was struck.

The take away came from the old man who came by on his tricycle while I was knocking on doors. I see him frequently in the hood and noticed that the corner dogs mostly ignore him. My curiosity was peaked and I struck up a conversation. I told him that the dogs had attacked me and I was looking for their owner. He casually glanced at my leg looking for evidence of the crime. Finding none, he proceeded to gesture about the mythical dogs who live “over there” and attack and kill people. Seemingly there are always people, “over there” who have it worse, like the starving children in Africa, invoked by my parents to pressure me to eat my peas and carrots.

The lesson and our new mantra is, if you’re not dead, you have nothing to complain about. Try it this week; it sort of has a nice ring to it don’t you think?

DOS TORTAS

Tags: bacalar mexico, Dog stories, expat living in Mexico

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Expatriates, Retire Mexico, Uncategorized

OK I Quit!

4 Jan

All this week I’ve been waiting for that still small voice that tells me what this week’s blog will be. My muse is clearly on vacation. When I started blogging in 2013, I told myself that if it’s no longer fun, I will quit. This week it wasn’t fun. I tossed in my sleep, came up with multiple ideas and threw them out, and yes stressed about it! Then I decided to repost an older blog, and even that process was more than I could deal with, even though I’ve done it before. No, I’m not shutting down the blog, just taking a break. Happy New Year.

Time for a haircut.

Meet Mary. She did a great job.

Silly selfie. $6.00 haircut.

I hope your transition into 2015 was what you hoped for. I have two announcements. Our friend Kathe is selling a lovely home not far from here:
http://www.viviun.com/AD-217759/
Another friend Carolyn is selling a wonderful business:
Www.undertoemexico.com

If you ever thought of a life away, here are two opportunities. A few more pictures for your pleasure. You can also find us on Instagram at dos_tortas.

Blue morning.

I commit to no stress for 2015. No telling where the new year will take us. The adventure continues…

DOS TORTAS

Tags: Amazing sunrise, bacalar mexico, retire mexico

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En Bacalar It’s El Parque (The Park)

28 Dec

In the colonial cities throughout much of Mexico, the town square is called the zócalo. The zócalo is located in the old center of the city and is a multi-purpose destination. On one side is usually the cathedral. Government buildings such as the governor’s palace or a museum flank another quadrant. Many are resplendent with portales, arched walkways with outdoor cafes to nosh and people watch. They are the place to see and be seen. I remember sitting on the zocalo in Oaxaca watching the teens circle, boys in one direction, girls in the other. The aunties on benches served as chaperones. Lord are those days gone forever! Welcome to our humble park.

The gazebo houses dance classes, tai chi, health fairs and games of tag.

The wonderful gazebo, in the center of the park houses dance classes, tai chi, health fairs and games of tag .

Bacalar’s town square is called el parque. On Friday night it is hopping. Families come to let the kids play, buy a treat and mingle with the tourists.
The parque is also where children put on school presentations and holidays are celebrated.

A walk around the outside of the park starts on the north where several small restaurants attract mostly tourists with regional cuisine and hamburgers.

Notice the bilingual sign. Bicycles provide transportation.

In the northeast corner is an office building devoted to tourism. It is newly painted with colorful murals.

To the east is the pirate fort overlooking the Laguna. Young Guatemalan girls sell their wares in its shadow. These two wanted “three dollars” to take their picture. With lots of giggling, they got five pesos each.

View from the fort and museum

Enter a caption

On the southwest corner, local artists sell wonderful jewelry and wind chimes made from shells found in the laguna. I love to visit to see their latest creations. Shop here to take home that special keepsake.

Continuing around the park you pass the ATMs and on to the municiple offices. It’s time to pay 2015 property taxes. If paid by the end of December there’s a 25% discount!

I hope you enjoyed our little walk in the park. It’s our favorite place to hang out. Did I mention it has wifi? Love our little town.

Tags: bacalar mexico, Laguna Bacalar, living in mexico, retire mexico, Zocalo

Comments 6 Comments
Categories Expatriates, Retire Mexico, Southern mexico, Travel

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the adventures of dos tortas

Oh My God I Live With Dos Tortas

What You Really Need is a Sense of Humor

Life Is Hard – It’s Harder If You’re Stupid

Cenotes – Sacred Mayan Wells

So You’d Like To Buy Some Furniture?

Permission to Build – Let the Games Begin

Eating Organic in Mexico – An Adventure of a Different Kind

Los Perros of Bacalar

OK I Quit!

En Bacalar It’s El Parque (The Park)

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